Lamp changer



L. C. HAYS LAMP CHANGER Oct. 30, 1945.

Filed DeC. 16, 1944 INVENTOR Leslie C 15a gs r fllllll/I/I/l/llllllll ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 30, 1945 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFIIZE LAMP camera Leslie Hays, Healdsburg, Calif.

Application December 16, 1944; fierial No. 8,45

9 Claims. (01.294-20) This invention relates to, and it is an object to provide, a novel electric globe or lamp changing device of the pole type used to change lamps which are disposed at elevated but exposed points, such as depending street lamps.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pole type lamp changer which includes a unique lamp engaging clamp assembly operative to effectively frictionally eneaee and rotate a lamp for the purpose of placement or removal thereof from .an elevated socket.

A further object of this invention is to provide a lamp changer, as the preceding paragraph.

in which the clamp assembly includes a lamp engaging head disposed beyond the upper end of the pole and mounted for movement axial-1 of the latter, opposed clamps arranged to frictionally-engage the lamp on opposite sides of and beyond said head, and operating connections between said head and clamps arranged to cause inward movement of the clamps into clamping contact with opposite sides of the lamp .upon en.- gagement of the lamp at its outer end with the head and movement :of the latter by said lamp toward the upper end of the pole, whereby up. ward pushing on the pole forcefully and frictionally clamps the la p 150 that considerable turn- .ing force may then be applied thereto by said pole.

A further object .of the inventionis to produce a simple and inexpensive .device, .and yet ;one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by -means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts 3 i as will fully appear by a perusal of the fol-lowing specification and claims.

In the drawingsimilar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views;

Figure 1 is a vertical, side elevationof the lam-p changer.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional elevation 1011 line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Figure 3 .is anenlarged, yerticalside elevation of the lamp clamping assembly as in use.

Figure sl-isa top plan view-of-said assembly.

Ref rr n now more pa t cularly to the cha acters of reference on the drawing, the improved lamp changer compr sesa 'eloneated RQlB conted t ts upper end in axial alineme t ith a relatively short tubular ,neck 2 by means of a l se c upled, heavy-duty hel al-spr n The tubular neck .2 .is termed ntermed ate it ends, i pposed l n i udina l ts 4 a d a cylindrical s de zblpck -.5 is sl da ly d s sed in neck :2 with a relatii elv ose u nin at Hea d s rews 5 and l ext nd t ro gh corresp ndin slots 4 nd are threaded n th sl de lock 5, 18 surrounding th .screw l andun er the he ds there f a d iding aeamst the outsid i the t bular neck alone th cor-resp ndin slots .Ilhe screw 1 is of s m what grea er length than the screw 6, and is surrounded be.-

head a d th correspondi washer 8 by a tom-na ion spring 5 which serves to inc,- tion ll main the slide block a :in any nqsithan of adjustment in the tubular neck 2.

At its upper end the tubular neck ;2 is formed- .anenlarged ann lar cap plate J0 of a diametcr greater than said neck, whereby the plate has a considerable .overhangrheyond the neck.

A-plunger stem ii is disposed .within the tubular neck *2 centrally thereof and projects adjacent its u-pneriend andjn guided relation through a center opening 1'2 in the cap plate 1.0. At its upper end and :beyond said cap plate the stem .1] is fitted with an annular head l3 which is concave on top; said head being of substantially lesser diameter than the cap plate I I].

'IEhe lowerzend portion of the plunger stem l1 projects through an axial bore 1.4 in the slide block :5; said sblock .being normally but adjustably secured .to the stem Ll by engagement .of the screws 6 and I therewith.

Above the head 13 the ,device includes a pair .of inwardly and slightly downwardly racing varcuate jaws 15 having a friction lining or facing J5 .on adjacent iaces thereof, which lining may he a rubber .or icork :pad for frictionally gripping the lamp to be changed. f Apair .of spring wire fingers H are fixed to .each iaw M5 at the ,back (thereof and thence depend in side by side, relatively .loosemlay .rela-tion throu h correspondin openin s M! in the .en- 'lar ed has pla e all! laterally .out irom opposite sid o the tubular n c 2 Af er passing hrou h th @Pfiliii s gl 8 the .isnring wi e fin e s d pcndisq e .distanceitherebe p z ad acent the sli -h cc Cct tesmhd zns 1111.85.91 the pa rs of fingers If! ecnreree re ative to ea h oth r 0. .1 oppos t id cf th i nbular ne ki and inte sect .asat betw en s i e-bl ck and temp a e 10- e w said point of intersection,-.t he intersecting'wires d vers and a thei owe n s are i q med .with int nc o ons 1. wh ar fixed to he Washers 8.

i qpera p o the bove d s ribe la p ch n r. and w en it i e ir s z a emo e alamp fir man elera e swke ,th sl d b k ismanually advanced in the tubular neck 2, which causes the angle of convergence of the intersecting ones of the fingers I! to be increased below the. cap plate I0, which in turn causes the jaws I5 to be moved apart correspondly; the cap plate about the openings I8 forming a fulcrum for said fingers. At the same time the head I3 is advanced upwardly relative to said cap plate Ill. The operator then raises the device and engages the head I3 against the outer end of the lamp 2|, and continues to push upwardly on' the pole I. This results in a relative downward movement of the plunger stem II and. slide block 5, which in turn draws the spring fingers l1 downwardly through the cap plate I0. With such downwardmovement of the spring fingers, with consequent opposite sides of the lamp 2| with a relatively tight grip.

The operator, while maintaining an upward force on pole I, rotates the same, which unscrews the lamp 2| from its socket andpermits it to be lowered to fioor or ground level for access.

To place a new lamp in an elevatedsocket, from which a burned-out lamp'has been removed, the above described operation is merely reversed. a

In order to permit the jaws 15 to engage with a lamp which may project laterally rather than depending, a pull-cord 22 is attached to a ring 23 which turnably extends about'the cap plate In. To engage a laterally projecting lamp the operator pulls down on the cord 22, which causes the helical spring 3 to bend, whereupon the jaws l5 may be engaged with the lamp.

In order to adjust the clamping assembly for different sized lamps, or to increase or decrease the jaw tension on a lamp of given size, the relative position of head l3 to the jaws l5 axially of the device is varied by loosening the screws 6 and I and adjusting the slide block 5 on stem II. It will thus be seen that an adjusted throw of the jaws l5 may be obtained for any given axial movement of the head 13 toward the cap plate I 0.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects ofthe invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device,

still in practice such deviations from such detail 'may'be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

' Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful and upon which Letters Patent is desired:

1. A lamp changer comprising a pole, a par: of opposed lamp engaging jaws disposed beyond 'the upper end of the pole, means mounting the jaws in connection with the pole for relative approaching or separating movement, a lamp engaging element disposed beyond the upper end of the pole, means mounting said element in connection with the pole for relative axial movement, and means operative upon such movement of said element toward the pole to cause approaching movement of the jaws.

2. A lamp changer as in claim 1 in which said element is disposed substantially centrally between but below said jaws.

3. A lamp changer comprising a pole, a pair of lamp engaging'jaws disposed beyond the upper end of the pole, opposed spring fingers supporting the jaws from the pole, a plunger mounted on the pole and projecting beyond its upper end between said opposed fingers, a lamp engaging element on the upper end of the plunger, and means arranged to cause the opposed fingers to swing the jaws toward each other upon downward movement of said plunger.

4. A lamp changer comprising a pole, a pair of lamp engaging jaws disposed beyond the upper end of the pole, opposed spring fingers supporting the jaws from the pole, a plunger mounted on the pole and projecting beyond its upper end between said opposed fingers, a lamp engaging element on the upper end of the plunger, said opposed fingers being arranged into connection and movable with the plunger, and means cooperating with the fingers intermediate the ends thereof to cause the upper jaw supporting ends of said fingers to approach or separate relative to each other upon downward or upward movement, respectively, of the plunger relative to the pole. r

5. A lamp changer comprising a pole, a pair of lamp engaging jaws disposed beyond the upper end of the pole, opposed spring fingers supporting the jaws from the pole, a plunger mounted on the pole and projecting beyond its upper end between said opposed fingers, a lamp engaging element on the upper end of the plunger, said opposed fingers being arranged into connection and movable withthe plunger, and means cooperating with the fingers intermediate the ends thereof to cause the upper jaw supportin ends of said fingers to approach or separate relative to each other upon downward or upward movement, respectively, of the plunger relative to the pole; said means comprisin a member on the pole adjacent its upper end having spaced openings through which the opposed fingers extend intermediate their ends in loose play relation, said fingers converging below said member whereby upon up or down relative movement of the plunger to cause separating or approaching movement, respectively, of said fingers above the member. I

6. A lamp changer comprising a pole, a pair of lamp engagingjaws disposed beyond the upper end of the pole, opposed spring fingers connected to the jaws and depending alongside the upper portion of the pole, a slide block mounted in connection with said portion of the pole, the fingers being connected at their lower ends to said block, a member on the pole above the slide block having spaced holes through which said fingers project in loose play relation,said fingers converging directly below said member, a plunger mounted in connection with said upper portion of the pole and projectin -therebeyond; and a lamp engaging head on theouter end of the plunger between but belowthe jaws, the inner end portion of the plungerbeing connected to the slide.

'7. A lamp changer as in claim 6-in which 'the plunger is axially adjustably connected to the slide. I i

8. A lamp changer comprising a polehaving a tubular upper end portion, a slide block in said upper end portion, a stem secured to the slide block and projecting upwardly to a termination out of and above said end portion, a lamp engaging head on the upper end of said stem, a pair of opposed lamp engaging jaws 'disposed above said head, opposed spring fingers;depending from the jaws along opposite sid es o f" said upper'end portion of the post,said upper end portion having longitudinal slots in said oppo- 9. A lamp changer as in claim 8 in which said site sides, means connecting the lower ends, of. member comprises an enlarged annular cap plate the spring fingers to the slide block through said on the upper end of the post, a turnable ring on slots, and a member on the post at its upper end said cap plate, and a pull cord depending from having spaced openings corresponding to and the rin the pole including a resilient portion through which the fingers extend in loose play therein adjacent its upper end but below said relation, said fingers converging directly below tubular upper end portion.

said member. LESLIE C. HAYS. 

